Page 1 of Raise 'Em Up

CHAPTER ONE

My knee bounces as I check my phone for what feels like the millionth time. Rylee should have gotten here by now. How long does it take to pack a bag to go home for a week?

“Guys.” I look up, raising my voice over the loud music. My brows furrow when I see some of Missi’s friends giggling, as they hand the guys sitting on the couch across from me another drink. “Guys!”

“What?” Mateo narrows his eyes. “Relax, Colt, have another drink and take the stick out of your ass.” His voice is a slur. How many drinks have he and Lennox had?

I’ve been so busy looking at my phone, waiting for a text from Rylee to let me know she’s on her way, I haven’t been paying much attention to what’s going on around me.

“I’m good,” I tell him. I’ve already had three drinks and I’m feeling a little buzzed, but I don’t want to get drunk before Rylee even gets here. “Where the hell is Donny?”

“Fuck yeah!” I hear him cheer. Looking across the room, I see him standing at the beer pong table.

“You guys. It’s nearly ten. Rylee still isn’t here.”

“Really?” Lennox looks at his phone. “Fuck. Has she texted you?” he asks me, then looks at Mateo.

“No,” he answers him, looking at his own phone.

“Nothing,” I tell him, a feeling of unease casting over me. “Guys, I have a bad feeling.”

“I’ll try calling her, you go find out from Donny if she’s texted him,” Lennox says, getting to his feet. He wavers a little before stumbling his way out of the room, probably looking for a quiet place to call her.

“Hey.” I grab Donny’s shoulder, turning him to look at me.

“What the fuck, man?!” he groans. “I would have made that shot.”

“Who cares,” I hiss. “Give me your phone.”

“Why?” he asks, but digs it out of his back pocket and hands it to me anyway. “What do you need it for?”

I unlock his screen and check his messages. Nothing. “Fuck,” I breathe out, that worrying feeling starting to amplify.

“Colton, what the hell is going on?” Donny steps closer to me, snatching his phone back.

“It’s Rylee.”

His eyes widen and he grabs my shoulders. “What about her? Is she okay? Where is she?” He looks around the room frantically, as if he's expecting her to be here.

“No. She’s not here. That's the problem. We’ve been here drinking for the past two hours. She hasn’t shown up. She hasn’t texted.”

“Fuck.” He runs his hand through his shaggy blond hair.

“Come on. Lennox went to see if he could get a hold of her.”

Donny follows me as we weave our way through the crowd.

We’re just about to make it to the front door where Lennox disappeared to when Missi steps in front of us.

“Where are you going?”

“None of your business,” I mutter, trying to step around her, but she moves with me. “Missi, I’m not in the mood for your shit tonight. Move.”

“God, Colton. You don’t have to be so rude. I only asked where you’re going? Are you leaving your own party?”

“Listen, sea witch,” Donny hisses. “Get the fuck out of our way. My woman is out there somewhere and I need to go find her.”

She huffs, rolling her eyes. “Relax, Romeo. I’m sure she’s just out fucking one of her thousand boyfriends.”

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